Jonsi at the Newport

If the last Sigur Ros album taught us anything, it's that a quickened pulse does wonders for Jonsi Birgisson's complexion - or, rather, his music's. (Jonsi himself is actually still pretty pale.)

If the last Sigur Ros album taught us anything, it's that a quickened pulse does wonders for Jonsi Birgisson's complexion - or, rather, his music's. (Jonsi himself is actually still pretty pale.)

The Icelandic post-rock combo made its name on slow-burn alien epics. They tapped into something glorious, but three or four albums in, the formula started to feel stale. So it was stirring to hear tracks like "Within Me a Lunatic Sings" shake off some of the uber-serious trappings in favor of something still grand and orchestral but also lively and festive.